Experts: 1 in 6 women will face sexual violence

Now, consider that statistics show one of those women will be the victim of an attempted or completed rape during her lifetime.

That’s scary.But, according to an expert panel who spoke on the topic of sexual violence at Montgomery County Community College Thursday, discussing rape and other sex crimes is important to preventing some sexual assaults and breaking down the shame associated with them.

“There’s a real embarrassment” for victims of sexual assault and rape, said Grace Ann Spena, the director of Health and Wellness Initiatives at Montgomery County Community College.

Spena, along with other representatives from the college and other local and county agencies who spoke Thursday, offered advice for victims as well as helpful tools to possibly prevent a sexual assault or at least limit the opportunity for a sexual assault to occur.

Spena said that knowledge can be power for victims.

First and foremost it is important for victims to know that the assault is not their fault, and nothing they did justifies the actions of their perpetrator.

During the program Thursday, a brief video called “Speak Out and Stand Up,” starring Kristen Stewart was shown. In the video, several advocates, including Stewart, reiterated a victim’s silence doesn’t equal consent; even if a victim is initially OK with sexual contact, they can stop when they want to stop; if a victim is intoxicated and unable to give consent to sexual contact, that is considered rape.

“You can do everything wrong and you still do not deserve to be raped,” said one rape victim who spoke out during the video.

Advocates suggested using the buddy system and walking away from aggressive behavior as possible deterrents to sexual assault.

In the event a sexual assault occurs, it’s important for the victim to be able to tell someone. They can call police and file a report, or if they’re on a college campus, they can contact campus security.

Although many victims want to distance themselves from the assault by showering, brushing their teeth and changing their clothing, Spena said it’s important to avoid doing those things and preserve evidence so that police can hold the assailant responsible.

“You don’t want to shower, brush your teeth or rinse your mouth out,” she said, noting that every bit of evidence that can be preserved will help investigators.

Pottstown Detective Heather Long explained the process a victim would go through when they report a sexual assault to police. She explained that often victims report the incident well after the incident is over, and evidence is lost. Victims are encouraged to preserve as much evidence as possible.

“A lot of the time it’s a ‘He said, she said,’ thing,” Long explained. Her job is to investigate the case, collect evidence, consult with the district attorney’s office to decide if charges are appropriate, and then try to get a confession from the perpetrator of the crime.

Getting a confession, Long said, often spares the victim the discomfort of testifying.

Although reporting incidents of sexual assault can sometimes stop a perpetrator from hurting others, there are resources for victims who do not wish to report the assault to police.

Theresa Cox, with the Montgomery County Victim’s Services Center, explained that a victim “doesn’t have to go through a exam (after they’ve been assaulted) or go through the police department in order to come in for counseling.” The counseling that is offered through the victim’s services center is free, she noted.

At the Montgomery County Community College, Michael Ondo, a counselor and advisor who works with the Student Support and Referral Team, said there are services for students.

“When something happens to you, and you don’t know where to go, we’re here for you,” Ondo said. He stressed the confidentiality of the services offered to students, and also reiterated that there is no deadline that limits when a student can ask for help. It doesn’t matter how long after an incident occurs, if a student needs help, all they need to do is ask, he said.

Richmond Parsons Jr., deputy chief of offender services for Montgomery County’s Adult Probation and Parole, explained that most sexual assault perpetrators “see very little jail time,” and emphasized the importance of tools like parole and probation to protect victims and others.

“If you are a victim ... utilize probation as a control,” Parsons said. He acknowledged that victims can reach out to the probation office with questions or concerns.

Joseph McGuriman, the director of campus at Montgomery County Community College, said the college hasn’t had a single sexual assault on its main or west campuses in the past three years.

But, he emphasized, “the fact is, each and everyone one of you is going to leave campus” at some time and go to a party or be in an environment where you could be at risk. That’s why, he said, it’s important for everyone to be aware of their surroundings, limit their risk as much as possible, and be aware of the services available for victims.

If that fact doesn’t hit home, consider that according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, in the time it took to read this article, two people in the United States were sexually assaulted.